Battery holders



Sept. 20, 1955 j SPOONER I 2,718,541

BATTERY HOLDERS Fi'led Nov. 50, 1955 FIG. I.

ROBE/P7 J. SPOONER.

United States Patent BATTERY HOLDERS Robert J. Spooner, Essex, Conn.Application November 30, 1953, Serial Ne. 335,132 4 Claims. (Cl. 136173)This invention relates to a holder for batteries and more particularlyto a holder in the form of a sleeve for operatively connecting two ormore dry cell batteries of the flashlight type.

primary object of the invention is to provide a simple inexpensiveholder comprising a tube or sleeve of insulating material such as paper,plastic or other non-metallic material, leads being connected totransverse metal strips contacting the opposite end faces of the groupof cells, the transverse strips also forming retaining means for thebatteries or cells within the sleeve.

A feature of importance of the invention is that the transverse metalstrips are sufiiciently resilient to firmly press against the end facesof the batteries to form a good electrical contact; also the strips areadapted to adjust themselves to variable lengths of the batteries andprevent their removal from the tube.

Another object of the invention that is important is that a switch maybe mounted on the outside of the sleeve and positioned for movement intoand out of contact with one of the transverse metal strips to close acircuit including the batteries.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may include thefeatures of construction and operation set forth in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of thisspecification, I have shown the invention embodied in a sleeve typeholder for but two batteries but it will be understood that theinvention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to beconstrued as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claimsappended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a holder made inaccordance with the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is an outside view of the holder shown in Fig. 1.

In the above-mentioned drawing, there has been shown but one embodimentof the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it will beunderstood that changes and modifications may be made within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, there is shownat 1 a length of paper or other nonmetallic and non-conducting tubing.Adjacent the ends of this tubing are transverse narrow elongated slots4,

the slots at each end being disposed diametrically opposite each other.Extending between opposite portions of the tubing wall and passingthrough the pairs of slots 4 are sheet metal strips 3. These strips 3are of sufiicient resilience to support the weight of the batteries 2housed within the tube, and prevent their displacement. The strips 3 arebent as shown so that they will contact as at one of their bends 5 andfirmly press against an end surface of a battery 2. At one end of one ofthe strips 3 a lead wire 8 may be attached directly as by solderingafter passing the lead through a small hole 7 in the strip.

On the outer surface of the tube 1 is an eyelet 11 forming a pivot aboutwhich a metal strip 10 may swing. In one position the strip 10 contactsthe surface of one of the transversely extending strips 3 to close acircuit between the lead 8, the batteries 2 and a lead 9 attached to thestrip 10 forming the switch.

The batteries 2, two of which are shown enclosed within the tube 1, havetheir end surfaces in contact with the angularly bent central portion 5of the transverse strips 3. The flexibility of the strips 3 permits themto accommodate slight variations in the length of the batteries. Also atone end the strip 3 bears directly against the central or positive poleof the battery. At the opposite end of the tube 1 the strip 3 bearsagainst the end closing surface of the battery shell.

I. claim as my invention:

1. A battery holder comprising a tube of nonconduct ing material,batteries therein, transversely extending resilient metal strips passingthrough the tube adjacent the ends thereof and contacting the oppositeends of said batteries, and leads connected to said strips.

2. A. battery holder comprising a tube of nonconducting material,transversely extending metal strips adjacent the opposite ends of thetube and adapted to resiliently bear against the end faces of batterieswithin said tube, a switch member mounted on said tube and movable tocontact one of said strips, and leads connected to one of said stripsand to said switch member.

3. A holder for batteries comprising a tube of nonconducting material,having slots provided therein adjacent the ends of said tube,transversely extending metal strips passing through said slots, a leadconnected to one of said strips, a switch member pivotally mounted onsaid tube and movable into engagement with the other of said strips, anda lead attached to said switch member.

4. A holder for batteries comprising a tube of nonconducting material,having slots provided therein adjacent the ends of said tube,transversely extending metal strips passing through said slots, saidstrips being shaped to resiliently contact the central end surfaces ofsaid batteries, and leads therefor, one lead attached to one of saidstrips and the other lead connectible to the opposite strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS GreatBritain Feb. 28, 1941

